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BFO92LA155

1992-09-17 · ENDICOTT, New York, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport N17

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS FROM A HOVER ONTO A DOLLY WHICH WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED HE TOUCHED THE HELICOPTER DOWN TOO FAR AFT ON THE DOLLY. HE SAID HE IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IN FULL UP-COLLECTIVE CONTROL BUT THE TAIL SKID HAD ALREADY CONTACTED EITHER THE DOLLY OR THE RAMP. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES DISINTEGRATED. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER WENT THROUGH A 360-DEGREE SLOW TURN DUE TO LACK OF TAIL ROTOR TORQUE CONTROL AND UPON TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT SKID BENT 45 DEGREES FROM ITS NORMAL POSITION DUE TO THE SIDEWARD FORCE. THE PILOT STATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS PRIOR TO INITIAL IMPACT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_BFO92LA155.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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